Below is a list of the eight most venomous snakes in the world based both on venom strength and number of bites and fatalities recorded.
Inland Taipan
This Australian snake is a relative of the cobras and mambas. Drop for drop this snakes venom is the most toxic of any snake on the planet. Its venom is neurotoxic which paralyses the lungs and death occurs from respiratory failure. If bitten death could occur within 15 minutes. This snakes lives in the desert in the centre of Australia and very few deaths have been recorded, as there are almost no human settlements in its range.
Black Mamba
This is Africa’s largest venomous snake potentially reaching 4 meters in length. The Black Mamba is a fast active snake which will not hesitate to defend itself when threatened. Black Mambas have a very potent neurotoxic venom and coupled with its large size and large venom yield make this snake extremely dangerous. An untreated envenomated bite will result in certain death. This snake comes in contact with people but prefers to slither away than bite.
King Cobra
The King Cobra is the worlds biggest venomous snake and can grow to 5 meters in length. It is placed in this list due to the huge amount of venom injected in a single bite. One bite from a King Cobra contains enough venom to kill an adult Indian Elephant.
Spectacled Cobra
This is a common snake in India and is the species snake charmers use in their shows. The Spectacled Cobra has a potent neurotoxic venom and lives in areas heavily populated by people resulting in thousands of bites a year. Lack of anti venom and poor medical care results in thousands of deaths a year from this snake. Although the Spectacled Cobra’s venom is no stronger than a Snouted Cobra the number of deaths place it in this list.
Banded Krait
This colourful snake from South East Asia has a very potent neurotoxic venom. During the Vietnam War US soldiers referred to this snake as ” two step'” meaning if bitten you would walk two steps before dying. Us soldiers also referred to the Banded Krait as the ” cigarette snake” meaning you would die in the time it took to smoke a cigarette. Both these names are over-exaggerations.
Yellow Bellied Sea Snake
All sea snake species are extremely venomous, possessing a strong neurotoxic venom. The venom is strong in order to to quickly kill the slippery fish which make up the sea snakes diet. I have chosen the Yellow Bellied Sea Snake for this list as it can be found in South African oceans. The Yellow Bellied Sea Snake lives in open ocean kilometers from the shore and is most often encountered by fisherman. During storms these snakes can be washed onto the beach, if picked up they may bite. No anti venom for this snake exsists and fatalities have been recorded.
Russell’s Viper
This viper is responsible for most of the snake bites in Asia. This highly venomous snake is found in fields tended by barefoot workers, workers step on the snakes and are bitten. Medical assistance and access to anti venom is limited and those who survive the bite are faced with massive tissue damage. Open wounds caused by the Russell’s Viper’s cytotoxic venom quickly become infected in the warm and humid climate of Southeast Asia.
Saw Scaled Viper
This bad tempered snake is responsible for the most venomous snake bites and fatalities in Africa. It is found in areas with large human populations, limited medical assistance and lack of anti venom. The Saw Scaled Vipers venom stops blood from clotting causing the victim to die from internal bleeding.
Timothy Zedi
Tim Zedi is a seasoned reptile enthusiast with over 25 years of experience in keeping and breeding a wide variety of reptiles. Tim was the former chairman of the West Rand Herpetological Association and volunteered at the Transvaal Snake Park.Tim has been instrumental in creating knowledge in the reptile community. He is a regular contributor to Practical Reptile Keeping magazine, where he shares his expertise and insights. Through his work, Tim has become a respected figure in the herpetology field, dedicated to educating others and promoting responsible reptile care.